Chapel Hart is No Longer Trying to Make it in Country Music—“We’re Not Here to Play Fame”

Comprised of sisters Devynn Hart, Danica Hart, and their cousin Trea Swindle, Chapel Hart first performed back in 2014. Although the country music group started on the streets of New Orleans, they eventually traveled to Nashville, hoping to break into country music. In 2022, the trio debuted at the Grand Ole Opry with the song “You Can Have Him Jolene.” The song garnered over five million plays on Spotify and received high praise from legendary singer Dolly Parton. But while Chapel Hart gained recognition, the group admitted they are no longer willing to play the industry game that follows country music after years without a record deal. 

Videos by American Songwriter

Arriving At The CMA Awards

On November 12, the trio shared a video detailing their decision to step away from the business side of country music to focus more on what matters – the music. Danica said, “We’ve been trying so hard to make it in the music business, to break into the music industry. As many of you know, we’re still independent, and still doing it out here on our own.” 

The singer also discussed how Chapel Hart went to the 2023 CMA Awards and found themselves in a room full of “industry people”. While excited that they knew about the trio, Danica revealed how disheartening it was because “that means everyone knows who we are, and we still don’t have a record deal, we still don’t have a publishing deal, we still don’t have sponsorships, and we’re still out here busting our tails. We’ve been on the road this year more than we ever have.”

Chapel Hart Focusing On The Music And Fans

Having spent numerous years traveling, marketing, and even making it to the top five on season 17 of America’s Got Talent, Danica revealed, “This is to serve notice that we are no longer competing in the industry. We’re so busy trying to keep up in an industry who isn’t even acknowledging us when we could be doing the things that really make our heart happy.” She insisted, “We’re not here to play fame. We’re not here to get famous. We’re here to serve the people.” 

[RELATED: Chapel Hart to Perform New Song on ‘America’s Got Talent’]

Although turning away from the industry, Danica promised fans the trio would still perform, write, and produce songs. “We were here for our fans. We’re just gonna open the doors. We started to make people happy, to write music that people love, to watch people grow, to grow with our fans.”

Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

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